Music

Party Supplies, "Tough Love"

By Ashley Dean, dean@coloradodaily.com

Posted:
09/02/2013 12:34:48 PM MDT

Party Supplies, "Tough Love" (Courtesy)

Justin Nealis, aka Party Supplies, will be recognizable to you if you've spent some time with Action Bronson's Blue Chips. Nealis produced the mixtape with laid back beats, and soul and oldies samples. Party Supplies' first LP does not sound like that -- it's totally different but still totally great.

With the addition of multi-instrumentalist Sean Mann, Party Supplies has adopted a cheery electropop vibe. It sounds like the child of disco and ‘80s pop, with driving dance rhythms and cheap-sounding synths. There's a serious ear for what makes good dance music under the more carefree sounds of the instruments making it. Plus, Nealis has an appealing voice to put to his melodies. He sounds a bit like Tanlines' Eric Emm.

It's easy to see Tough Love breaking into mainstream wavelengths the way a couple Tanlines songs have. The songs are well-crafted enough to please fans of quality dance music and goofy and melodic enough to hook casual pop-lovers. “New York 2017” and “Touching Your Face,” which open and close the record, are the kinds of songs indie kids play at rooftop parties. The cowbell and thumping four-on-the-floor rhythm of the former is downright infectious.

In fact, if you probably can't listen to anything on Tough Love without dancing at the most or smiling and tapping your toe at the least. If you're picking some electropop out of the grab bag, go with Party Supplies.

New coordinator pushes Buffs to work, play at level he expectsJim Leavitt has discovered this much about his new defense at Colorado: He has some talent with which to work, but his players need to put it in another gear. Full Story

New coordinator pushes Buffs to work, play at level he expectsJim Leavitt has discovered this much about his new defense at Colorado: He has some talent with which to work, but his players need to put it in another gear. Full Story